Photographic camera



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

A; W. SIMON. PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA',

No. 422,984. Patented Mar. 11, 1890.

0.4M v @www WWQJM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. W. SIMON. PHOIOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

Patented Mar. 11, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED lV. SIMON, OF AKRON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID M.LITTLE, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

PHOTOG RAPH IC CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 422,984, dated March11,1890.y

Application filed October 8, 1886.

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFREDW. SIMON, of Akron, in the county of Erie andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inPhotographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

l n the drawings is shown a camera embodying my invention in the bestform known to me, the lens and tube being omitted.

Figure l is a perspective view of such a camera. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section of such a camera in use, showing the plate whichhas been exposed in the act of falling into a receiving-box. Fig. 3shows the plate-reservoir, and Fig. 4 shows the receiving-box. The otherfigures (5, 6, and 7) show details of the catch.

A is a camera-box of ordinary construction so far as the arrangementsfor admitting light are concerned.

Bis the lens-flange fitted to the movable end of the camera, b being aset-screw to hold the lens-supporting piece in place when the camera isfocused.

C is the reservoir or plate-holder. This reservoir is a box capable ofcontaining a number of sensitive plates and protecting them completelyagainst exposure to light, except at the proper time.

D is a cover upon the side of the box which is to be nearest the lenswhen the camera is in use. This cover or shutter is suitably hinged atthe top, and is opened or shut by means of a crank-arm d, which isprovided with a suitable lock to lock the cover D open or shut, asdesired. The arm d, as shown, is a thin piece of spring metal and has atits free end a pin d, which catches on a rack indented in the plates d2cl3, which are conveniently located on the camera or box. This form oflock is very simple and answers every purpose if the arm d be stiffenough to keep the pin in the rack under all ordinary conditions of use.The reservoir C is intended to set into the back of the camera much asthe ordinary plate-holder does, and is held in place in some convenientWay-for example, a button c andv thumbscrews c.

The plate which is to be exposed is held in place in the reservoir C bya rim E at the `front lower edge of the reservoir and a catch Serial No.215,732. (No model.)

F at the front upper edge, the catch being so constructed that it willrelease only one plate at a time, and when it is returned to its normalposition the next plate in order will rest against its holding-finger fand the rim E,

` which together keep the plates from falling out, being so placed thatthe face of the plate resting against them will be exactly in focus.

The plates are keptiu the front of the reservoir by a suitable spring.It consists of a bed-plate G, of substantially the size of the interiorof the box, resting against a series of levers g, each hinged to theback of the box, as shown, under each lever, being flat spring g. vThesesprings force the free ends of the levers forward, and they bear on theback of the plate to force it and the sensitive plates in front of itforward, so that the front plate will bear against the rim E and catchF, and consequently be the required distance from the lens when thecatch is properly adj usted. This arrangement of levers, springs, andbedplate is ad vantageous, as it serves to distribute the spring-powerand equalize the pressure against the catch and rim, whether thereservoirbe full of plates or nearly empty. The catch F is mounted upona shaft f, upon which are two fingers f f2, the front one f serving withthe rim E to hold the plate in place when ready for exposure. The otherlinger f2 is set at an angle to the finger f and a little behind it, asshown, so that as the finger f is raised to release the upper edgeof thefront plate the finger f2 will be depressed between that plate and theone behind it, and will hold the second plate until the finger f hasbeen returned to its rst position after releasing the plate justexposed, (see Figs. 6 and 7,) when lthe springs g will act to force thissecond plate into focus against the finger f. These fingers are moved byahandle f3 at the back of the reservoir.

The receiving-box H is set just in front of the reservoir C, so that theplate as it is expelled from the reservoir will fall face down into thisreceiver. This box is provided with a cover or shutter J, havingoperating mechanism j,j,j2, and jg, like that of the shutter D of thereservoir C. This receiver, as shown, is detachable and is held in placeby buttons h. It may, however, be made part of the IOO camera, in whichease the plates are removed from it in the dark-room through the end ofthe camera, which ordinarily contains the reservoir C. W hen empty, itsshutter may be used as an exposing-shutter. Such anexposing-shutter-viz., one hinged in the camera behind the lens-is oftenvery convenient.

The cover J of the receiver I-I must be opened to allow the exposedplate to fall in zo the box and be closed again before the lens can beused.

lVhen a large number of plates are placed together, as described, eachmust be so backed that no light will pass through it during its i 5exposure to affect the plate behind it. This backing may be in the formof apiece of cardboard, in which case it should be clamped in place by asuitable clamp at the top; or it may be a sheet of metal, in which casethe metal 2o should be wide enough to be bent round the plate at the topand bottom, (see k, Fig. 5.) If sensitive paper or film is to be used,it should be backed in some way, so as to be stiff enough to stand inthe reservoir, as well 2 5 as thick enough to prevent the passage oflight to affect the plates behind it.

L is a focusing-screen hinged to the top of the camera and operated by acrank-handlel in the saine way that the shutters D and J 3o areoperated. lVhen the reservoir C is removed, this screen can be let downinto the place in the camera which will be occupied by the frontsensitive plate in the reservoir, and the set-screw l) being loosenedthe lens- 3 5 conveying frame will be moved until the camera is properlyfocused, when the setscrew b is again tightened and the screen raised.

The operation of this camera is as` follows: 4o The reservoir is firstcharged with sensitive plates K, which have been properly backed, asdescribed. The plates are put into the box by being first placed withone edge within the rim E, and then pressed down until the opposite edgeis within the finger f. 'lhen they are released with the hand, and thesprings under the bed-plate G will force the plates forward until theplate to be first exposed will rest against the rim E and the 5o lingerf of the catch F. The camera is first focused, as above described. Thescreen L is then turned up out of the way, and the reservoir C issecured in position in the camera with its shutter toward the lens. Toexpose the plate, the shutter D must be raised, and also thelens-shutter. As soon as the lens is covered after the exposure, theshutter J to the receiver is opened, and the catch F being operated byturning its handle f3 the top 6o of the plate K is released, and thesprings g', acting through the levers g and bed-plate G, cause the topof the plate, with its backing, to fall forward, (see Fig. 9,) itsbottom tripping over the rim E, so that the plate will fall face downinto the receiver H, the top of the plate striking first. This box Hisjust large enough to receive the falling plate, so that an air-cushionis formed which will prevent the plate from breaking. The cover to thereceiver is then closed, and the catch F 7o being operated so as toallow the plate K2 to fall against the finger f the camera is incondition to take a second picture. If it is desired to postpone thetaking of the second picture for a time, the shutter D may be dropped.When all the plates have been used up, the reservoir is removed to thedarkroom to be recharged and the receiver is rcmoved to the dark-room tobe emptied.

Other forms of springs, either with or with- 8o out a bed-plate, may beused to keep the plates in the front of the reservoir, and otherwell-known forms of catch capable of separating the front one of aseries of moving objects from those behind it and releasing it, whileallowing the next in the series to take its place, may be substitutedfor that shown. My catch, however, is very simple, and is the best knownto me for the purpose. It takes up but little room, and hence affects toa very 9o slight degree the available area of the finished negative, theplate in my reservoir being held in place lnerely by the rim E and thecatch. For this reason a plate-holder adapted to hold a single plate maywell bemade with a spring 9 5 for the purpose described and such a catchand rim. When it is desired to expose a single plate, the shutter D willbe found very useful as an exposing-shutter, and its usefulness for thispurpose is of course not conroo fined to a plate-holder capable ofholding a large number of plates.

It is desirable in snc-h a camera as is above?"W described that thecovers D and J shall shut into their boxes, to prevent such an entrance[o5 of light as will spoil the plates contained therein, and it is alsodesirable that a suitable strip be laid in the camera to stop theentrance of light between the bottom of the reservoir C and the floor ofthe camera. In 11o the camera shown in the drawings (see Fig. 2) thisfunction is performed by the receiver H, which is made sufficiently highto set into the camera so as to cover this joint.

lVhat I claim as my invention is* l. The plate-reservoir, in combinationwith the springs g', the levers g and the bed-plate G, rim E, and latchF, as described.

2. In a plate-reservoir, the latch above described, consisting of theshaft f and fingers 12o f f2, and suitable handle, whereby the shaft maybe operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 0th day ofOctober, A.

ALFRED lV. SIMON.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE O. G. CoALE, FRED B. ONEIL.

